getting new hens,few ? about quarintine!!

[mom wewantchicks!]

i was browsing thru craigslist when i found an add for "4 free hens,about 6 months old,very friendly" i figure yeah right,but i call anyway. long story short the lady bought them this spring at tractor supply and is moving and cant keep them. so im going monday to get them!! well,unless they are all gross and sickly!! anyway i know i need to keep them separate for a month,but my yard is not big and i let my flock free range.is there a certain distance i should keep between them? should i keep my flock contained also for this month? since they came from a hatchery will they be vacinated from most disease? and what should i look for for illness they may have? thanks for the help and advise!!

 

[CMV]

A month's quarantine is usually sufficient. If the wind has a predominant way of blowing then keep the new birds downwind from your established flock, as far as is possible. I would recommend holding off on free-ranging your established flock during the quarantine because it is imperative to keep the birds separate. At chore time, care for your flock before working on the newcomers to save on having to change your clothes in between, but remember to change your shoes between so as not to track in undesirables. Look for signs of respiratory illness (sneezing, wheezing, runny eyes) or infestation during the quarantine period. Most birds are not vaccinated against anything unless it was specifically done by request- ask the seller.

Good luck.

 

[mom wewantchicks!]

so if they came from a hatchery (they did),they have NO vaccinations? thats something im confused on!!

 

[CMV]

Hatcheries do NOT vaccinate routinely. One day old chicks are vaccinated against Marek's disease by request and it costs extra. You can safely assume that if the seller doesn't specifically mention vaccines then they are not vaccinated. There is also a fowl pox vaccine available at the feed store for chickens that live in areas where fowl pox is endemic.

I have had chickens for 2 years and have never had vaccinated birds. I have never had Marek's and had only 2 questionable cases of fowl pox that were very minor. I also keep a closed flock, meaning I never bring in new birds, so I don't potentially bring in diseases.

 

[speckledhen]

I would expect that they do NOT have any vaccinations. Even if they did, it may be only for cocci or for Mareks, not for "most diseases", and only if the buyer ordered and paid for it. They can't vaccinate day-olds for many of these since they must be administered later and have boosters on occasion.

 

[Chicken Boo]

When I did my quarantine, I moved my nice car into the driveway and put the newbies in a pen in the garage. I left the light on during the day when I was not home and opened the door for light when I was. This kept a distance between the groups with no fear of interaction.

 

[mom wewantchicks!]

well i have found out the chickens are a little farther than i at first thought (no sense of directions!) but if something works out and i do go get them,my neighbor,who has no outdoor pets,is going to keep them in a kennel at her house for me! in exchange for some eggs,of course!! so if i go to get them,you guys will be the first to know!!!

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

We have added one step to the process that works very well. After 2 weeks we add a "sacrificial" roo or hen to the new birds. The new birds may carry something that you can't see by looking at them or your flock may. By putting the 2 together on a small scale you will be able to see if anything shows up.

Steve in NC